[BN] the know

Ragnar Relay plans Canadian race

Organizers of the inaugural Ragnar Relay Niagara Ontario have closed registration but are reaching out to this side of the border to welcome spectators and supporters of the overnight 320-kilometer relay race June 14-15 to benefit the Waterfront Trail.

The 1,400-kilometer trail runs along the Canadian shores of the St. Lawrence River and lakes Ontario and Erie. Sixty-eight community partners are developing a strategy to regenerate the waterfront’s ecological health, sense of community and economic vitality, according to David Crombie, founding chairman of the Waterfront Regeneration Trust.

The nearly 199-mile race will feature up to 200 teams of 11 runners each, who will run continuous legs of three to eight miles relay style. Each runner runs at least three times. The race starts in Cobourg, Ont., goes through Toronto and ends in Niagara Falls. It’s the first Ragnar Relay to run outside the U.S.; other upcoming races include those in Napa Valley, Calif., and the Adirondacks in September, Las Vegas in November and Key West in February.

Local race organizers will contribute $25,000 (Canadian) to the waterfront trust. Runners will pass through more than 20 communities. To learn more, visit ragnarrelay.com/race/ontario.